Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



l Patented Mar. 26, |90|.

No. 670,600.' v

II. L. & F.. L. WAGNER. RIBBON MECHANISMFOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.' (App'unatim mea .my 22. 1899.) Y (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shed l.

TME nnnms PEYERS 00.. Puoro-Lll'MaY WASHINGTON. I:4 c.

Patented Mar. 2 6, I90I.-

Y H IL. & F; L.-w.AGN-E nf RIBBON IIIECHANISNI -F08 T YPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application led July 22. 1699.) l

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

No. 670,600. l Patented Mar. 26, |9o|.

H. L. & F. L. WAGNER.

RIBBDN MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES. (Application med .my 22, 189m (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3,.

wlTN :NVENTOR s- ATTORNEYS No. 670,600. Patented mar.y 26,. |901.

H. V.L. & F. L. WAGNER.

mason wnzcmunsmv Fon TYPE w'mTlNG MAGHINES. Y. l (Application led .T uly 22, 1899.). (No Modlal.)

' 4 sheets-sheet 4.

.E Ky' jy' O O..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN L. WAGNER, OF BROOKLYN, AND FRANK L. VAGNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THE WAGNER TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RIBBON M ECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING IVIACHIN SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 670,600, dated March 26, 1901.

Original application filed July 9, 1898, Serial No. 685,512. Divided and this application led July Z2, 1899; Serial No. 724,756.- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: drawings, forming part hereof and wherein 5o Be it known that we, HERMAN LNVAGNER, one form of type-Writing machine is illusresiding in the borough of B rooklyn, Kings trated embodying ourinvention, l designates county, and FRANK L. WAGNER, residing in the main frame of the machine, in which 5 the city and county ofNew York, StateofNew most of the Working parts are carried. Sel York, citizens of the United States, have incured to the frame 1 is a segmental plate 2, 5 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in' which the type-bar carriers 3 are pivoted, in Ribbon Mechanism for Type-Writing Maso that the printing characters on each typechines, of which the following is a full, clear, bar are adapted to be. brought to the print- 1o and exact description. ing-point, as will hereinafter more fully ap- Our present invention relates to ribbon pear.V Each of the type-bar carrierscarries 6o mechanism for type-writing machines; and a swiveled type-bar 4, provided with a typethe subject-matter embodied herein is a diviblock 5, having a plurality of faces carrying sion of that included in our application, Serial printing characters. Two of the faces of the 15 No. 685,512, filed on the 9th day of July, 1898, type-block are provided with types or charfor type-Writing machines. acters in the present instance, one face car- 65 The object of the present invention is to rying an upper-case character and another provide a simple and efficient ribbon mechanface. carrying a lower-case character. Suitism more particularly adapted for frontable cooperating mechanism is provided to 2o strike77 or visible writing"7 machines,th ough give when desired a partial rotation to each obviously the invention may be applied to-any of the type-bars in the movement thereof to 7o type-writingmachine wherein its application the printing-point on the platen 6, so as to may be found feasible. bring an upper-case character into operation;

This invention consists in the novel arbutinasmuch as this mechanism does notconz5 rangement and combination of parts to be stitute a feature of the present case, but is hereinafter described and claimed. included in the application hereinbefore re- 75 In the accompanying drawings, wherein ferred to, no further description thereof'is Y like reference characters designate corredeemed necessary.

sponding parts in the various views, Figure 1 Operatively connected to each of the type- 3o is an end view of one form of machine embar carriers 3-as, for instance, by means of bodying our invention with parts removed a pin-and-slot connection 7-is a reciprocat- 8o for the purpose of clearer illustration. Fig. ing slide48, which is provided at its rear end 2 is a front View of the same. Fig. 3 isa plan with a hook 9. (See Fig. 6.) This hook 9 is view of the machine with parts omitted for open toward the front of the machine and is 35 the purpose of clearer illustration. Fig. 4 is adapted to engage asegmental universal bar an enlarged detail frontview of one of the 10 when the slide is moved forward toward 85 ribbon-spool-operating clutches, the spool bethe front ofthe machine, but is free to move p ing shown removed from its spindle. Fig. 5 in anopposite direction independentlyof said is a like view of the same with parts in secuniversal bar. Theuniversal bar l0 is rigidly 4o tion, the spool being shown in place. Fig. 6 connected to suitably-guided slides 11 and 1,2.

is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional The slide 11 performs no other function than 9o view of a portion of the machine. Fig. 7 is a slide forsnpporting and guiding the univeran enlarged fragment-ary detail side vieur of sal bar; but the slide 12 is lprovided with a one of the clutches for operating the spool. cam linger or abutment 13, which is adapted 45 Fig. 8 is a like view of the same looking from to contact and cooperate with a crank-arm an opposite direction. Fig. 9isafragmentary 14, connected to a rock-shaft 15, suitably 95 enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of mounted in a, bracket 16, Fig. 2, carried by a the ribbon-spoolfeed mechanism. lixed portion of the machine. The rock-shaft Reference being had to the accompanying 15 likewise carries a ribbon-guide 17, comprising two fingers, one of which extends to each side of the ribbon 18.

From an examination of Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that one edge of the ribbon is adjacent to and substantially in line with the rock-shaft 15, which constitutes the pivot on which the ribbon turns. By this construction the ribbon is normally maintained in a plane that intersects the vertical diameter of the platen and is automatically turned on its edge to interpose the body thereot in the path of the type when a typebar is moved to the printing-point, as represented in Fig. 6 of the drawings. By these means a very short movement of the ribbon around one edge thereof is suiiicient to not only expose the last word or letter written, but to fully expose the entire last line printed to the operator. Vhen the type-bar moves back to the initial position, the ribbon-guide will be automatically turned to the position represented in Fig. l to expose the character just impressed upon the paper by the type. This movement is due to the fact that the finger 13 is moved back with the universal bar l() and is no longer effective to maintain the ribbon-guide in the position represented in Fig. 6 when the ribbon-guide is moved back by suitable means, or the tension of the ribbon exerted thereon may be sufficient for this purpose.

The universal bar lO is pivoted, as indicated at 18X, Figs. 1 and 2, to upright arms 19, fixed upon a rock-shaft 20, pivoted to the framing of the machine. This rock-shaft 2O likewise has an arm 21 secured thereto, which arm is adapted to coperate with an arm 22, Fig. l, of a crueiform lever 3, pivoted to a bracket, as indicated at 23 in Figs. 2 and 3. The other three arms of this cruciform lever 23 are indicated at 24, 25, and 26. The arm 26 has a retractile spring 27 connected thereto in order to restore the cruciform lever 23 and the parts connected thereto to the normal position. The forward arm 25 ofthe lever 23 is provided with a pin 23, Figs. l and 3,which overlies the free end 29 of a spacing-lever 30, carrying a spacing key or bar 31 at its outer end. This spacing-lever is pivoted at 32, and the outer end thereof is normally maintained in the elevated position by aspring 33. The upwardlyprojecting arm 24 of the lever 23 is pivoted to a link 34, as indicated at 35, and the opposite end of this link is connected to a rocking frame 3G, which carries the feed-dogs 37 and 38 and is pivoted at 39. The feed-dogs cooperate with a feed-rack'40, suitably carried by the reciprocating platen-carriage 41 of the machine. From this construction it will be seen that when the spacing-key 31 is depressed motion will be transmitted to the crnciform lever 23 to rock the same backward to impart movement to the link 34, which moves the frame 3G and the feed-dogs 37 and 38, connected thereto, thus feeding the carriage the distance between two letters when the parts are restored to their normal position.

so that when a key 43 is depressed the arm` 44 thereof is moved forward and moves with it the corresponding slide 8, and its type-bar 3 is moved to the printing-point. This movement of the slide S causes the universal bar l0 to be moved forward, thus imparting motion to the slide 12, which causes the ribbon to be turned into the path ol the type on thc type-bar before said type has reached the printing-point. This same movement of the universal bar transmits a rocking motion to the rock-shaft 2O through the arms 1), and the rocking of the shaft 2O causes the cruciform lever 23 to be rocked on its pivot by the arm 21 depressing the arm 22 on said lever. In this manner a depression of a key-lever will simultaneously rock the ribbon into and out of the path of a printing character and will operate the feed mechanism of the carriage. This movement likewise causes the automatic feed of the ribbon in the'direction of its length, as will hereinafter appear.

To a iixed bracket 48 at each end of the machine are secured most of the parts of the ribbon-feed mechanism, the ribbon passing from spool49 to spool 49 over suitable guiderollers 50, one at each end or side of the machine. Each of the spools 49 is adapted to have a sleeve 51 projected through a central aperture therein. Each of the sleeves 51 rotates upon a fixed pintle 52, Fig. 5, projecting from a bracket 48, and they are each provided with a laterally-projecting arm 53, secured thereto. Each of these arms has pivoted, as at 54, a spring-pressed catch 55, which is adapted to pass through an aperture 5t' in its coperating spool, which aperture is located to one side of the center of rotation ol said spool. The shoulder 57 of the catch bears against the body portion of the spool and locks the same against removal from the sleeve 52 until the free end 5S of said catch is pressed by han@l to one side to permit the spool to be withdrawn. By thesemeans it will be seen that the catch of each spool not only locks its spool to the sleeve 52 for rotation therewith, but each catch at the same time aiords means for rotating its spool by hand by reason of the position of each catch in its engagement with its respective spool. Each of the sleeves 52 likewise carries a friction-disk 59, which rotates therewith, and cooperating with this friction-wheel is a clutch-roller 60, which is loosely carried by trunnions (SOX, projecting in the elongated bearings (il of the swinging roller-carrying yoke U2, which is pivoted to a feeding-yoke G3, as indicated at (54. Each of the feeding-yokes (53 is pivoted upon a sleeve 52, as indicated at G5, and moves independently thereof. lProjecting from cach IOO IIO

of the yokes 63 and at each side thereof isa cam-arm 66, whose cam-face is eccentric to the periphery of the cooperating friction-disk 59, and these arms are adaptedto support a clutch-roller 60, so that as the feeding-yoke 63 is moved in the direction of the arrow a: in Fig. 7 the roller will be jammed between the cam-faces of the arms 66 and the periphery of the cooperating friction-disk, and thus lock the parts to move together. The movement of yoke 63 in an opposite direction from that indicated by the arrow a: will not effect a movement of the friction-disk, because the clutch-roller will move to the lower portion of the cams on the arms and be maintained out of contact with the periphery of the disk. By having the trunnions of each of the clutch-rollers 6U seated in the yoke 62 in the manner described We are enabled to throw said clutch-roller out of action at will, and the roller may be maintained out of action by the latch 67, pivoted at 68 to the yoke 63, as will hereinafter morefully appear. A retractile spring 69 is connected at one end to lthe latch 67 and at the Vother end to the yoke 62, so as to normally maintain the parts in the positions represented in. Fig. 7, wherein the clutch-roller is maintained in operation. tion of the arrow a, Fig. 7, the finger will first be brought into contact with the face 7l of the yoke 62 and force it against the tension of the spring 69, which permits the abutment 72 on the latch 67 to drop under the nose 73 on the yoke 62, and thus maintain the clutch-roller out of action. A further rotation of the finger 70 will cause it to abut against the arm 74 of the latch 67 and move it upon its pivot. This movement of the latch releases the yoke 62 and again permits the clutch-roller 60 to be brought into engagement with its cooperating friction-disk, as represented in Fig. 7 of the drawings. A friction-brake 75 bears upon the periphery of each disk 59 and prevents a retrograde movement being imparted thereto. It should be funderstood that the ribbon mechanism on to the inoperative position.

each side of the machine is the same except that the fingers 70, which are carried upon a revoluble shaft 76, are oppositely disposed, so`that when one of said fingers maintains its clutch roller in the operative position the other linger will have moved its clutch-roller This shaft 76 extends from end to end of the machine and is provided at one end with a finger-piece 77, Figs. 4 and 5, by which it can be turned to throw the proper spool into operation and to simultaneously throw the other spool out of operation. In order that the shaft may be turned in only one direction, we provide a stop-piece 78, Fig. 8, which is carried upon the shaft '76 and is provided with abutments 79, that cooperate with a leaf-spring 8() to prevent the shaft from being rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8, but permit By turning the finger in the direc- 'a free rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction.

Motion is communicated to the yokes 63 to feed the ribbon-spools by arms 81, Fig. 8, adjustably secured upon the rock-shaft 20, one of said arms being provided foreach ribbonspool. sleeve 82, which has a laterally-projecting pin 83, that extends into a slotted arm 84 of a yoke 63. By this arrangement a back-andforth movement is imparted to both the yokes 63 at .each feed of the carriage, and the yoke which has its clutchroller vin engagement with its disk 59 will impart a movement to its ribbon-spool, While the opposite ribbon-spool will remain inactive. The adjustment of the sleeve 82 permits a longer or shorter throw to be given to each of the yokes 63 and a consequent longer or shorter feed movement to be given the ribbon.

It will be observed that by this mechanism we are able to obtain various degrees of movement of the ribbon, and that unlike ratchetfeed movements the mechanism can be adjusted to use any and every portion of the ribbon in the direction of its length.

From the foregoing-description it is thought a clear understanding of the operation of our device will be had and that no detailed description of the operation need be given.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a front-strike type-Writing machine, the combination ofaplaten, printing mechanism, a ribbon normally maintained in a horiz ontal plane that intersects the vertical diameters of the platen to expose the writing thereon to the operator, a pivoted ribbonguide, the pivotal axis of which is substantially in line with the edge of the ribbon adjacent to the platen, a universal bar and a slide ixed to said universal bar for automatically turning said ribbon-guide upwardly on its pivot so as to interpose the ribbonin the ,path of the printing mechanism during the printing stroke thereof, whereby the ribbon is normally maintained in a position to eX- pose the line being printed to the view of the operator.

2. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a series of type-bars, linger-keys for operating said type-bars, ribbon-spools, automatically-operated reciprocating frictional mechanism coperating with both of the ribbon-spools and controlled'by said nger-keys for imparting' an intermittent rotary motion to either of said spools and a platen-carriage operable by .hand independently of said frictional mechanism.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of ribbon -spools, spacing mechanism, automatically-operatedfrictional mechanism every movement of which is controlled by the These arms each carry an adjustable IOO IIO

spacing mechanism for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to eitherof said spools and means for controlling said frictional mechanism so that when it is effective to operate one of said spools, it will be ineffective to operate the other whereby the ribbon may 5 be alternately fed in opposite directions.

. 4. In a type-writing machine, the combination ofa platen-carriage, spacing mechanism for said carriage, rotary disks, an automatically-operated reciprocating frictional clutch for each of said disks, said clutches being operable to transmit an intermittent rotary motion to said disks in one direction and free to move independently thereof in an opposite direction and ribbon-spools operatively connected to said disks, whereby the ribbon may be fed alternately from one spool to another.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen-carriage, spacing mechanism for said carriage, rotary disks, reciprocatingfrictional clutches which are operated by the spacing mechanism and transmit an intermittent rotary motion to said disks, ribbonspools operatively connected to said disks and hand-operated mechanism for operating said ribbon-spools by hand independently of the automatic operation thereof.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen-carriage, spacing mechanism for said carriage, rotary disks, intermittentlyoperated reciprocating frictional clutches which are operated by the spacing mechanism and which transmit an intermittent rotary motion to said disks, ribbon-spools operatively connected to said disks, hand-operated mechanism for operating the said ribbon-spools by hand independently of the automatic operation thereof and means for throwing either of said friction-clutches out of operation at will.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen-carriage, spacing mechanism for said carriage, rotary disks, automaticallyoperated reciprocating friction-clutches, each adapted to automatically engage a disk when moving in one direction and to automatically be disengaged therefrom when moving in an opposite direction, whereby an intermittent rotary motion is transmitted to said disks, means for changing the extent of throw of said clutches, ribbon-spools operatively connected to said disks and means for retaining said clutches out of engagement with said disks.

S. In a ribbon-feeding mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination of a rotary friction-disk, a ribbon-spool operatively connected thereto and an automatically-operated clutch for transmitting motion to said friction-disk, said clutch comprising a movable cam and a clutch-roller supported upon said cam and adapted to be conveyed thereby into and out of contact with the periphery of said disk.

9. In a ribbon-feeding mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination of a rotary friction-disk, a ribbon-spool operatively connected thereto and an au tomatically-operated clutch for transmitting motion to said friction-disk, said clutch comprising an intermittently-oscillated feeding-yoke carrying a cam and a clutch-roller supported upon said cam and adapted to be conveyed thereby into and ont of contact with the periphery of said disk to lock the disk to move with the yoke when the latter is moved in one direction and to permit the yoke to move independently of the disk when the yoke is moved in an opposite direction.

l0. In a ribbon-feeding mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination of a rotary friction-disk, a ribbon-spool operatively connected thereto, an auto matically-operated clutch for transmitting motion to said friction-disk, said clutch comprising a movable cam and a clutch-roller supported upon said cam and adapted to be conveyed thereby into and ont of contact with the periphery of said disk and means independent of said cam for main taining the roller at the lower part thereof and out of contact with the periphery of tle disk.

ll. In a ribbon-feeding mechanism for type- Writing machines, the combination of a rotary friction-disk, a ribbon-spool operatively connected thereto, an autom atically-operated clutch for transmitting motion to said friction-disk, said clutch comprising an intermittently-oscillated feeding-yoke carrying a cam and a clutch-roller supported upon said cam and adapted to be conveyed thereby into and out of contact with the periphery of said disk to lock the disk to move with the yoke when the latter is moved in one direction and to permit the yoke to move independently of the disk when the yoke is moved in an opposite direction and a clutch-roller yoke independent of said feeding-yoke for maintaining the roller at the lower part of the cam and out of contact with the periphery of the disk, whereby the feeding-yoke can be oscillated without imparting motion to the disk.

12. The combination of a ribbon-spool, a catch adapted to secure the spool in place and projecting beyond the face thereof when the spool is in place so as to constitute a handle therefor and means for rotating the said catch so as to transmit movement to the ribbpnspool. Y

13. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of oppositely-located ribbon-spools, friction-clutches, means for reciprocating said clutches to automatically and intermittently rotate the spools and a hand-operated shaft extending across the machine and provided with iingers which coperate with the clutch and arranged to alternately throw said friction-clutches into and ont of operation and thereby change the feed of the ribbon in a longitudinal direction.

14:. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a ribbon spool, a reciprocating clutch-roller, a friction-disk With which said clutch-roller cooperates, a cooperating relatively-inclined abutting surface forsaid roller ICO IIO

and means for reciprocating said roller,where by when said roller is reeiprocated in one direction it Will be jammed to intermittently rotate the ribbon-spool and When reciprocated in an opposite direction will move out of the jammed or engaging position.

15. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a ribbon spool, a reciprocating clutch-roller adapted to intermittently rotate said spool'when moved bodily in one direction and to move automatically out of the engaging position when moved bodily in an opposite direction, means for reciprocating said roller and means for varying the throw of said clutch-roller.

16. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a ribbon-spool, a friction-clutch adapted to intermittently rotate said ribbonspool, means for intermittently moving said clutch and means for Varying the throw of said clutch.

'17. The combination of an oscillating feedyoke, a clutch-roller carried by 'said' yoke, a friction-disk with which said roller coperates,` a ribbon-spool operatively connected to said friction-disk and means for varying the throw of said feed-yoke. Y

18. The combination of an oscillati ng feedyoke, a clutch-roller carried by said yoke, a friction-disk with which said roller coperates and with which the-roller locks when the yoke is moved in one direction and which is free therefrom when the yoke is moved in an opposite direction, a ribbon-spool operatively connected to said friction-disk, means for varying the throw of said feed f yoke and means for maintaining the clutch-roller ont of operation when desired.

HERMAN L. WAGNER. FRANK L. WAGNER.l

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. SMITH, JOHANNA M. STROPP. 

